Occupational Therapy

Applications for Fall 2018 are open.

Occupational Therapy is a respected, rewarding and lucrative health career profession that helps people to achieve and maintain their independence and well-being. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA), working under the direction of an Occupational Therapist, make a difference in people’s lives by helping them be as independent as possible when physical, psychological, or social challenges prevent them from doing everyday things that give their lives meaning. They work with clients from newborn to older adults in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and nursing homes.

Occupational Therapy is a dynamic, growing profession with many job opportunities in a wide variety of health care and community settings. Employment of occupational therapy assistants is expected to grow by 40 percent through 2024. Demand for occupational therapy assistants will continue to increase due to the aging population, including the baby-boomer generation, and increasing numbers of people needing to live independently in the community with a disability of some nature. Median annual earnings of occupational therapy assistants were $59,010 in May 2016, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $80,090, and the lowest 10 percent earning $39,160. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)

WHO BENEFITS FROM OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

People with neurological conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis

Children and adults with developmental conditions such as cerebral palsy, learning disorders, autism, and Down's Syndrome

People with orthopedic conditions such as broken bones, amputations, and sports injuries

People with work related disorders such as back injury and carpel tunnel syndrome

People with medical conditions such as heart attacks, arthritis, burns, and spinal cord injury

People with mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, eating disorders, and drug and alcohol addiction

People who require assistance in completing their everyday activities

People who are well and wish to maintain a balanced life style and a high quality of life

Accreditation Status The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Middle Georgia State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which means our graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.

Felony Conviction A felony conviction may affect a student’s ability to complete Level II Fieldwork or a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam and attain state licensure.All students will be required to complete a background check upon admission to the OTA Program. If you have been convicted of a felony, you will be required to complete the Early Determination Review process with NBCOT to determine eligibility to take the National Certification Exam and provide the OTA Program with documentation from NBCOT indicating that you will be eligible to take the certification exam once all other eligibility requirements are met. Failure to provide the OTA Program with this documentation prior to the mid-term date in the first semester of the OTA Program will result in immediate dismissal from the OTA Program. For more information on the Early Determination Review process, please see the NBCOT website.

The total number of graduates from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year period of 2015-2017 was 67, with an overall graduation rate of 82%.

Graduation Year

# of students admitted

# of students graduated

Percentage

2017

30

26

86.7%

2016

27

20

74.1%

2015

25

21

84%

Total

82

67

82%

Laura Terrell in Admissions is the lead recruiter for the School of Health Sciences and can help you with the application process.